


Old Habits

by space_punk



Category: Leverage
Genre: AKA Eliot likes doing what he's told, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Multi, No Smut, Unhealthy Relationships, just sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-05-31 16:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6477895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_punk/pseuds/space_punk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nate and Sophie leave, and Parker, Hardison and Eliot are in charge of Leverage 2.0 and all is good. For a while. But criminals are always stepping up their game, and more people are getting hurt. So the three make an executive decision. If they push, we push back harder. After all, they're still helping people, and now the bad guys get what they really deserve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the Beginning

     Nate and Sophie left behind many things. They left behind the potential for an empire. They left behind a team perfectly capable of fighting anything they had to. They left behind a team that needed them. They left behind a team that needed someone to reign them in when they went too far. They left behind a young genius with the ability to hack anything, an undying loyalty for his family, and who would do anything to keep them. They left behind a hitter who even then was only a few steps up from his rock bottom, who could only barely stop himself from killing and only did so for the others. They left behind the world's greatest thief with a faulty moral compass, abandonment issues, and they left her in charge.

     In the beginning, it was okay. They did things as they normally did. They were two people short but they made it work. They had a lot of friends. They would contact others across the world for favors and help when they needed it. They helped the clients, and they sent the bad guys away in disgrace and destitution. But the bad guys got worse. They would kill people. And the team started to wonder if they could keep up with these kind of people without stepping up their own game. 

     In the end, the decision was made for them. 

     Hardison had been captured, as he had before, but this time they wanted information. The bad guys spirited him away in some hidden lair, kept him there for days. They tortured him. He wouldn't crack. They were going to kill him. But his team found him in time. Their mastermind waited in the van while the hitter went in. He started to drag Hardison out of there when he spotted the man responsible. The man who ordered his friend stolen, tortured, killed. He gently set the hacker down, ignoring his request to let it go so they could get out of there. He started towards the villain, all dangerous energy and murder in his eyes.

     Eliot asked over the comms for permission to kill the man, his voice rage and fire. 

     Parker gave it to him, her voice cold as ice.

     Eliot did not make it fast. He beat the man to death and stopped when his head was bashed in. He picked Hardison up, his face calm as it always was after a kill. He brought them back to the van and started to tend to the hacker's wounds. After that he didn't speak for nine days. Parker was almost as quiet, both retreating to that quiet calm place Hardison could never follow them to. 

     In the beginning, they were undoubtedly the good guys.

     In the end, they crossed that line.


	2. Not Far to Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of the first chapter, once everyone starts talking again.

     Eliot didn't speak for nine days after beating a man to death. He didn't leave, he cooked in the brew pub, he did everything he had to, but he didn't make a sound. Once he spoke again, so did Parker, back to her chatty self. This allowed Hardison to breath again, and to convince them to sit down with him so they could talk. He was scared, he wasn't going to deny that, and he wanted to know where they all stood with each other. 

     Once they were all gathered around a table, the pub closed for the night, Hardison couldn't stop fidgeting around nervously. He didn't know how to start this, and it didn't help that Eliot was just staring down in front of him and Parker was fiddling with her lock picks. Finally he took a deep breath and shook his head. 

     "Okay. I think we need to talk about what happened. When they took me. Or, specifically, when you guys saved me." He said, turning to look at Eliot, not speaking again until the other man looked in the eyes. "Eliot, you killed someone. I know why you did it, but we need to talk about it. Especially when our leader sanctioned it. All but ordered it. Okay?"

     Eliot took a deep breath and nodded slightly. "Fine. What do you want me to say Hardison? That I wasn't in my right mind? That I thought he was a threat? That I regret it? Because none of that is true. He hurt you, would have hurt all of us probably, and Parker said I could. She's the leader. I let her make the final call, but I wanted to kill him. He would have _murdered_ you, get it?"

     Parker spoke up then, grabbing Hardison's hand so he would look at her. "I wouldn't have let Eliot do that unless it had to happen. He had to die. He was a bad guy. I know that's not how we normally do things, and Nate probably wouldn't approve, but that's what happened. We did it because you're our family. We care about you, and he hurt you. So I let Eliot kill him."

     The hacker looked between them in shock, shaking his head. "You....Listen, I know what you're saying. But this....do you guys really want to become that again? Killers?"

     Parker glanced at Eliot and sighed, speaking on his behalf as well as hers as had become a habit in the past nine days of silence. "It's not like just because you take a break from killing you aren't a killer anymore. Eliot's still a killer. But this time he did it for a good reason. To save you. So it's not the same. If you hurt someone bad to help someone good, then I think it's okay." The hitter nodded in agreement, keeping his eyes on the table as he decided to speak.

     "You guys are the only thing I got, you know? Only reason I'm not a real bad guy. So I'm gonna do whatever I have to to keep you safe. And beyond that, I'm gonna follow your lead." He muttered, clenching his hands into fists. "I trust you guys to make that kind of call for me. The kind of call Parker made. I trust you wouldn't have me do it if it wasn't necessary. It isn't a problem for me. That's what I'm trying to say. I don't mind having to kill for you."

     "You shouldn't have to Eliot!" Hardison snapped, glaring between him and Parker. "You shouldn't have killed anyone for us. It's wrong. It's still wrong after all of this, okay? Bad things for good reasons doesn't mean they aren't still bad things! This isn't what Nate and Sophie wanted for us. They wanted us to be the good guys! I still want to be the good guys!"

      Parker sighed and kissed the hand she was holding, the only thing she could think of that would really comfort him. When he started to relax, to get the idea that this was only a one-time incident, he managed to work up a smile. It quickly faded, however, when he saw Parker lock eyes with Eliot and pat him on the shoulder, murmuring under her breath.

      "Sometimes bad guys are the only good guys you get."


	3. Deafening Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Essentially murder on demand, and Eliot's coping mechanisms.

     Parker was right. Sometimes bad guys _are_ the only good guys you get. So it happens again. Some poor soul has gotten caught up with the wrong kind of people, bad people, and people get hurt. Sometimes they need to be taken care of permanently, so they don't come back like Dubenich or Moreau. The hard call has to be made.

     Eliot always asks for permission. He'll take care of people the way he normally does, and then he waits a beat before asking Parker. 

     "Can I?" Echoes over the comms so many times Hardison hears it in his sleep. When Parker allows it, it's always followed by the sound of breaking bones and death. Six months after the first incident and Eliot had killed thirteen people for them. Not all of them were quick. In fact, quite a few were drawn out to ungodly lengths. The long silences stop, but the killing takes it's toll on all of them.

     Hardison just tries his best to take care of the hitter like he used to. He helps patch him up, bringing him ice packs and the sandwiches he had made before they headed out. Lets him watch whatever sports game he wants, even if he has to hack a satellite to get it. Eliot looks at him fondly, as if amused by his denial. When Hardison finally stops hovering and sits down next to him, the hitter makes sure their legs or shoulders are pressed together, grounding himself in the physical contact.

     Parker takes care of him the way he needs though. As soon as they've settled enough and Hardison starts flitting about trying to find things to fix, the thief curls up on whichever side of Eliot hurts the least, like a cat. She tucks his head into her shoulder and runs her fingers through his hair, getting the knots out. He relaxes into her, able to finally stop scanning their surroundings for danger, able to just breathe for a second. Sometimes it's a quiet day, and she knows that. Those are the milk run days, where he didn't have to kill anyone, or even beat anyone too badly. But then there are the days where silence would hurt his chest, make it hard to breathe. So she would talk to him. before she knew what he needed, it would just be commentary on whatever was on TV, or a bank she had cased the week before. But eventually she figured out what made him calm down the fastest. 

     The first time it was a simple, "You did a good job Eliot." Nothing special, but she saw how he just let himself relax, his head lolling back a little. That made her smile, and she began to plan.

      Now it was a common occurrence in their routine. "You did so well Eliot. Just what I asked. Thank you for trusting me." She would murmur, petting through his hair as Hardison grabbed the bandages.

      "I know that wasn't easy for you. Thank you." While Eliot flipped through the channels. 

      "You saved us you know. You kept us safe. It's okay." Every word of praise and reassurance making Eliot melt until he actually smiled up at her, just a quick one, but it was there. Parker was glad that she could do that. That she could help him like he had helped them. It was a comfort, knowing that even though he could tear people down so easily, he relied on them to build himself up. That as much as he protected them from the outside world, they protected him from himself. 

      Hardison never noticed, that after every killing Parker and Eliot would curl into each other more, sometimes actually falling asleep with their arms pressed together. He knew it had to drain them both a little mentally, but he didn't realize how much they both needed it. How much they needed the reassurance that they hadn't upset each other. They knew, with him. Hardison was endearingly easy to read. They could both tell when he was upset, but the two of them had so many walls up that they couldn't tell. So Parker needed to know that Eliot trusted her to make the call for him, and Eliot needed to know that the killing was really what Parker wanted. It was an odd cycle, but it was what worked for them. So Hardison never questioned it. Maybe he should have, and maybe that could have saved them all from their spiral, but he didn't. He didn't need them sane. He needed them functional. He needed them with him, to keep each other safe. And they were, so all was well enough in his world.


	4. A Sense of Belonging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confessions of love and a teeny glimpse at the future.

     Hardison was a smart guy. At least, he liked to believe that. So when he noticed that Parker and Eliot kept spending more and more time together, he decided it was time they all had a conversation. The two indulged him, figuring it would be another discussion about their morals. But when he sat them down and didn't start lecturing them, they were a little confused. In fact, no one said anything for a solid five minutes. Finally, Hardison managed to find his voice. 

     "So....you guys seem really happy, and comfortable around each other. And it's.....that's really good, and I'm happy for you guys. So if you two are worried about my feelings, or me leaving the team, don't be. We're all adults. I can tell what's going on, and there's no hard feelings. Really. Last thing I would want is an unnecessary love triangle." He stammered out, staring down at the table in front of him. There was another few minutes of utter silence where Eliot and Parker just stared at him and then each other before Parker leaned forward suddenly.

     "Hardison. You thought Eliot and I were....hiding a relationship?" She asked, sounding baffled. When the hacker nodded, Eliot snorted and Parker shook her head. "We weren't hiding anything. I thought...I thought we were being fairly obvious. I don't understand."

     "We were being obvious darlin'. Subtlety isn't either of our specialties. The problem here, is that Hardison thinks you can only love one person at a time." Eliot sighed, amusement dancing in his eyes. 

     The hacker in question sat up and looked at them with shock and indignation. "Hold the hell up. Are you two saying that you....you both are together...but not in like, a cheating way?"

     "Well duh. You said it yourself, love triangles are unnecessary. So I decided that we could all just date each other." Parker said, very matter of fact. "You know, I love you Hardison, but I love Eliot too. It's different, but it's the same kind of thing. And Eliot loves me, but he also loves you a lot. And I know you love me, and we can all tell you love Eliot. So it works. There's no rule against loving multiple people."

      "Monogamy is the great tragedy of the western world." Eliot added helpfully. Hardison just looked like he had been slapped with a fish. Both confused and also extremely amused. After a moment, he shook his head. 

      "Alright, but...how the hell would that even work? I mean, won't we get jealous of each other?" He asked, biting his lip. But before he even finished that sentence they were both shaking their heads. Eliot leaned forward, taking it upon himself to explain. 

      "No. Because we need different things from each other. You need me to feel safe and Parker to feel free. Parker needs you to feel normal, and me to feel powerful. And I need you both to keep sane and under control. You know? And when we're all together, we won't be excluding anyone." He said quickly, looking at him intently. "Got it?"

      In response, Hardison just kissed him, sweet and gentle. There was a shit ton of pent up sexual tension between them all, but that could wait. This was better than that. All of them together, as close as they could get on the couch, tucking into each other, a tangle of limbs. There was kissing and touching sure, but they were all a bit too overwhelmed for anything more. Because they had each other, and that was really all they needed.

      None of them could know that this relationship would send them into a darker place. That their devotion to each other would turn into a shield against the rest of the world. That Parker's power over Eliot and Hardison's position as his anchor would turn Eliot into a killing machine for them. They couldn't know that that power went to both of their heads, both of them adoring the power over the dangerous man. They couldn't know that Parker would go to unthinkable lengths to keep them all safe. They couldn't know that Hardison, the best of all of them, would have his sense of morals twisted in such a way that made him a real threat to the rest of the world. They couldn't know that, and so now they just relished in each other's company, innocent of what the future held for them.


	5. Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Eliot-centric view of the relationship

      Once upon a time, the worst thing Eliot Spencer had ever done, was done for Damien Moreau. And now, he does worse things, and they are done for the two thieves he adores more than anything. He lies for them, fights for them, kills for them, and if necessary he will die for them. It hasn't been necessary yet. The two know he is too valuable for anything so wasteful. 

      He loves them so much, these two that ask him to kill. He loves them more than anything he has ever experienced. Loves them more than his soul and his sanity. And ironically enough, that's exactly what they hold of his. His soul and sanity lie in their hands. 

      He knows, somewhere in his fucked up head, that they're using him. Manipulating him. They turned him into their own guard dog, hell bent on protecting them. They turned him into their own personal killer. But he doesn't care. He doesn't care that they own him, because being owned by them feels so much like belonging he can't breathe without it anymore. He would do anything to feel like he belonged, like someone else cared about him. And they gave him that. They gave him so much more than that. 

      With every murder he commits, he knows Parker is proud of him. He knows she is happy with what he did because she tells him. When they're recuperating, she runs her hands through his hair and tells him he's wonderful. She tells him he's valuable, needed, a perfect warrior for them. She tells him he is so good for them. Sometimes she kisses him, and that is like its own gift. Parker doesn't like being touched, and that she would even bother with him is incredible. Every positive word from her is like air, like water after a desert. He looks at her like she is a goddess, like she is the sun, like she is some untouchable entity.

      With every murder, he knows Hardison is protective of him. The hacker takes it upon himself to tend to his wounds, making sure he is okay. If Eliot ever bothers to ask, he answers that he will take care of what belongs to him. That always sends a thrill through him, that this skinny geek would burn down the world to save him if necessary. It never is, but it's nice all the same. Unlike Parker, Hardison adores touching Eliot. He always finds himself pressed against Hardison's chest in the night, or with the hacker holding his hand, or burying his face in Eliot's neck. He kisses him all the time, sometimes stopping in the middle of a plan to press their lips together. When that happens, it's often followed by one of them asking him to kill. He always agrees. He agrees eagerly, desperate for just one more touch, one more kiss, one pretty phrase from them. They always give it to him, knowing that's what he needs. 

      They always know what he needs, more than he does sometimes. He needs to kill, and they let him. He needs to be told what to do, and they oblige. He needs sweet words, gentle touches, he needs to call the other man Alec in private and to make sure they are safe, and they allow him all of that. 

      He feels like it must be obvious to everyone, that he would do anything for these two. It always surprises him when people don't realize. When they can't see that he isn't the one in charge. They can't see until it's too late.

      Eliot Spencer belongs to Alec Hardison and Parker. He would die for them. But that isn't necessary.

      Killing for them is enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be doing a chapter like this for Hardison and Parker as well. Any advice or criticism is welcome!


	6. Mystic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hardison's point of view

      Hardison was the best of them all. He was the one with more morals, more of a black and white view of things. He always tried to keep the other two in line. Until they came to their new lifestyle. Then he became something of a mediator. 

      When Eliot came home from a job all beat up, knuckles red with other people's blood, he let Parker poke at the bruises as she reassured him, because the thief was sharp edges and jabbing corners. Hardison, on the other hand, was gentle, soft in a way Eliot never had before. He knew what the hitter needed from him. He needed love, in a pure form. He would tangle his legs with the shorter man's, letting him relax into him. Made sure he got enough food, enough care, enough everything. Where Parker commanded and ordered, he asked so sweetly that Eliot couldn't say no. 

      Alec Hardison had always had to work harder to be powerful. A skinny black geek wasn't someone that people were afraid of. So when Eliot laid his soul out bare for him, his to do whatever he wanted with, he couldn't just give that up for morals. It was protection, safety, power. He could ask this man for anything, to kill or die for him and he would. It was intoxicating.

      Of course, his conscience was still there. And he felt bad for asking Eliot to do these horrible things. So he coddled him in their downtime. Hold him closer than necessary, just to hear his heartbeat and know his hitter was alive. He would always ask for terrible deeds to be done in that sugar sweet, gentle way that Eliot never refused. And the hacker rewarded him with soft kisses and pretty words. He deserved that much.

      And Parker. She was still his everything, in that Parker way of hers. She made him feel free, like Eliot had said. She was radiant, like the sun. So beautiful, but you can't look at her directly or she'll blind you. She wasn't much for touching, she never had been, but she showed her affection in other ways. Simple proximity was a big thing. Like a shy cat, she would perch near him so he knew she trusted him.

      And he needed that so much. He had always been so scared. Scared of being alone, being helpless, being insignificant, being nothing, being everything he was afraid of. So these two incredible, powerful people decided that they wouldn't abandon him, that they would keep him safe, he knew he had to return the favor. He would give them everything he had, everything he was, for them to be happy. 

      When Parker said she was happy, he believed her, because Parker didn't lie.

      When Eliot said he was happy, he believed him, because Eliot wouldn't lie to them.

      He would do anything to keep them that way. 


	7. Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parker

     Parker wasn't good with people. She never was, never had been. When Nate brought Leverage Inc. into reality, she realized she wasn't good with people, but maybe she was good with this group. Especially her boys. She had never subscribed to tradition, especially with love. Gender wasn't a factor for her, and neither was sex. And she didn't see why you couldn't love more than one person at a time. So when she realized she loved Hardison, she was a little scared, because she had never done this before. But it was easy. Natural, once she got used to it. Eliot was different. She loved him for a long time before she actually figured it out. But once she did she jumped into it all the way. That was how it was. Her and her boys.

     When the three of them went down a different path, she knew she would have to change a bit. She was still Parker, with all of her quirks, but she made sure to take care of her boys. 

     Hardison needed her to be free, a wild, magical thing for him to believe in. Someone he was in awe of constantly. It wasn't hard, and she didn't mind it. He needed someone to follow, and leading was something she was good at.

     Eliot needed something different. He needed her to be painful. Someone who would poke his bruises and push him harder and harder until he was nearly broken, and then she'd help put him back together. He needed someone to obey, and she was very good at commanding. 

      Her boys were what she needed too. Hardison made her feel normal. Safe, in a way that meant home and belonging. Eliot made her feel powerful. Hers to order around and tear apart as she pleased. And when her boys needed to be something else with each other, she allowed it. When Hardison needed to hold Eliot close and talk to him in the quiet voice for wounded animals, and when Eliot needed to just melt into him and feel safe and warm, she let them. She would just sit on the kitchen counter and watch, so that she knew what they would need from her later.

      Parker is the leader, and it's her job to know how far she can push them. How much they can take.

      It's her job to make the hard calls, and to know when to cross a line.

      She will not be swayed by something as arbitrary as morals.

      She will keep them safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking that next chapter will probably have Nate and Sophie and a lot of coming to terms


	8. Lost at Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate and Sophie come back for Christmas to find exactly how dangerous the kids have become.

     Nathan Ford was guilty about a lot of things. An old Catholic tradition. He was guilty about his drinking, his recklessness, how he put everyone in danger time and time again just for the thrill of the con. But the one thing he never thought he would have to feel guilty about was his team. He never thought that his presence was the only thing keeping three of the world's most dangerous criminals on the straight and narrow. And it probably wasn't. It was his plans they had followed, but Sophie was the one they all trusted personally. Sophie was the moral compass, he was the leader. And as he stood in what used to be their home in Portland, the day after Christmas, he realized he had taken both of those things away.

     Christmas itself had been normal, for them. Hardison's Nana had paid a visit Christmas Eve, and the day itself had been sweet. Nostalgic and wonderful in the way that Christmas was. There had been priceless jewels on the tree, and little toy robots puttering around because Parker loved them so Hardison built them. Eliot had cooked up a storm, a myriad of dishes, something that each of them loved and then other dishes in between. And Nate wasn't blind, as much as everyone seemed to think he was. He and Sophie had both seen that Hardison touched Eliot a lot more often than usual, and the hitter leaned eagerly into it. And it was hard to miss the fact that both the boys orbited around Parker like she was the sun. They were happy for the trio, glad they had found something that worked for them. But the day after Christmas, Nate realized that wasn't the only thing that had changed.

     He had walked into the kitchen area for breakfast to find Eliot already there, cooking breakfast for the five of them. Sophie followed soon after, humming in appreciation. None of them felt the need to talk, just watching Eliot do his thing. The serene domesticity of the moment was interrupted after a few minutes by Hardison and Parker, the former looking nervous and the latter looking cold and furious. Eliot immediately moved everything off the heat and turned to them both, their guests forgotten even as they watched with interest. 

     "You remember Richard Planton, from the Corn Maze Job?" The hacker asked, pulling his tablet out and showing pictures. "After we got rid of his boss, we left him in charge. He seemed fine at the time, but I just found some shit. The bastard has been helping to run a human trafficking ring."

     Eliot pulled his apron off, looking over at Parker for some kind of indication as to what he should do. "You want me to go rip his lungs out?" He asked, which made Nate laugh a little until Sophie elbowed him, her eyes wide as she continued to stare at the trio. Nate was surprised, wondering what her issue was. Eliot made threats like that all the time back in the day. He never meant it. Ever.

     But Parker stepped forward, taking Eliot's face between her hands and kissing his forehead. The tiny affection made the hitter gasp softly, already nodding in agreement with whatever she was about to say. "He's been put on house arrest after being caught. Hardison's made sure he won't go anywhere. In a few days, you're going to fly out to him, and show him why he shouldn't have crossed us. I want you to torture him for days, log every sin into his flesh. And when I think he is done, I will give you permission to kill him." She murmured, her voice soft and cruel as her hands tightened in Eliot's hair, tugging to sharpen the pain.

     Nate flinched back at the violence she was describing, shocked as he realized they weren't kidding. "You can't....you can't kill him! You don't kill people anymore. No one gets hurt anymore, that was the point of all this! What the hell is going on?" He asked, unconsciously shifting in front of Sophie to protect her. 

      Parker turned that cold gaze on him, tilting her head in a way that made her seem even more terrifying. "Nate. The way you did things only worked for so long. Look at Deubenich. He came back to bite us all in the ass, until you let him die. And Chaos kept fucking with us, until Hardison's birthday last year. Eliot cut his fingers off."  She said quietly, as her boys nodded slightly. "We owe you so much for bringing us together, Nate, but you walked away. We had to make our own decisions. Like grown ups. I understand if you don't like it. You don't have to like it. But you're not going to stop us.

     "Either get on board, or get out of the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be Nate and Sophie trying to decide what to do about all this.


	9. Quit Too Late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate and Sophie realize Harvey Dent may have had a point.

     "Get out of the way? Parker, you don't know us at all, do you?" Nate snapped, stepping forward to get in her face, poking her shoulder to make his point. He knew there was a pretty good chance she would get annoyed, and he thought he might even get tasered if she was mad enough. What he definitely hadn't expected was Eliot immediately slamming him back against the kitchen counter, hand tight around his throat. 

      "You don't touch her." Eliot growled, eyes wild as he tightened his hand enough to cut off the airflow. Neither Hardison nor Parker moved, seemingly content to let this play out. Well, Parker was, and she was holding the hacker's arm in a clear sign to let it happen.

     And that was when Sophie stepped in. "Eliot. He didn't know. He didn't know that was a rule. Let him go. He didn't mean any of that. He's just upset. Let him up." She murmured, voice smooth. It was her grifting voice and they all knew it. But they also knew it was because she was afraid. That fear was what made Eliot stop choking him and turn to look at Parker for further instructions.

     The thief nodded and Nate was freed. He lurched to stand behind his wife, gasping for air as she cleared her throat and looked to the younger cons. "I'm not going to pretend I'm happy with this. You know I'm not. But I'm also not going to pretend I know why you chose this. I trust all of you to know that you would never resort to these....these _acts_ without a reason. But we are family. You should have told us. Maybe we could have helped, or at least been prepared for this. Parker, you could have told me."

     The blond bit her lip, looking down at her feet. Sophie was the one person none of them could stand the thought of being hurt or upset. Nate was always damaged, but for all her manipulation and lies, Sophie was a soft, kind person at heart. So when she spoke, Parker took notice. 

     "You still would have reacted like this. And I....I wanted to have a nice Christmas." She mumbled, pressing herself into Alec and reaching out for Eliot's hand. No one dared to point out that this clearly had been going on for several Christmas'. "And we never wanted you to you to know this stuff. I meant it though. We won't let you get in our way."

     Sophie nodded, taking a deep breath. "Nate and I need to have a talk. We will get back to you tomorrow, okay?" And with a quick nod from the girl, they were both dismissed. She grabbed her husband, pulling him to the door. "Let's go Ford. I need coffee."

\---

     They didn't actually get coffee. The couple let themselves into Sophie's theater, still operating even if their founding director wasn't working there anymore. She still had the keys. They slipped into her office and both stared at each other for a moment, shell-shocked.

     "We did this." She murmured after a fashion, kicking off her heels and sinking down into an armchair. "We gave them all the skills and means to destroy the world and we didn't stay behind to monitor them."

      Nate stayed standing, starting to pace. "They aren't children Sophie. Not anymore. They should know better. Eliot especially, he hated killing. Hated it. Why would he do it again? Just because he loves them?" Even as he said it, he knew it was true. He would kill for Sophie, so of course Eliot would kill for them. But still.

      "He hated killing without a real reason. Clearly Parker and Hardison are his reason now. And Hardison was so innocent before we left. Parker was still a girl. God, Nate, we did this." Sophie snapped, tugging at her hair. 

     They sat in silence for another twenty minutes, not sure what they could even say. They both knew what conclusion they would come to. The trio was still family. They wouldn't go against them, even if they weren't so damn scary. But it hurt to know that they were killing people. They were all darker than they were when they had left. Even since last Christmas. They both knew how the saying went. You either die a hero or....well, you know the rest.

     "We can't go against them. Even if...even if we were going to try. They would destroy us." Nate finally mumbled, feeling a genuine craving for a drink for the first time in years. "So we do....we do nothing."

     "Agreed. We do nothing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally just me looking for an excuse to use the damned quote. Title is from "The Kids Aren't Alright" bc the kids really aren't alright.
> 
> I'll probably be wrapping this up in the next few chapters, but feedback would be very welcome.


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